From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

Love runs deep, so does criticism.

It was precisely because of the deep affection and countless surprises that "Empire" magazine expressed regret that "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" stood at the threshold of perfection but failed to take that final step forward—

What the movie lacked was a moment, a super moment that would allow the movie to manifest its divinity and break free from constraints.

However, they also knew that such moments were not easy to come by and could not be achieved simply by talking about them, which is why legendary classics that are etched in history are so precious.

Therefore, regret aside, "Empire" magazine still gave it the highest rating:

One hundred points.

Even film critics, even creators who make a living from words, can find themselves at a loss for words at times, and realize the paleness of language and writing; no matter how gorgeous or dazzling the vocabulary, it is not enough to express the surging emotions in their hearts. Instead, those most primitive, simplest, and most unadorned methods are more effective.

The warmth conveyed by a hug. The unrestrained shouts on the sports field. A sentence of apology or a sentence of thanks to eliminate the estrangement between each other. A sentence of "I love you."

Or, in the current situation, a perfect score—

Some works, even knowing that they are not perfect, are still hopelessly infatuated with them, just like love.

One hundred points, that's the best review.

Obviously, "Empire" magazine was not alone in this thought, and the film critics reached a rare consensus.

Thus, this scene appeared.

Uniformly, in a row, neatly, all full marks.

Such狂热, like a lie, spread overwhelmingly from the inside out, detonating the entire film market, no wonder Zack Snyder couldn't stand it.

From the fifty-nine points of "Dawn of the Dead" to the ninety-five points of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", the visual impact was beyond imagination, but it was never expected that only after opening the review list could one truly realize what the number "95" represents, a full screen of one hundred points bursting into view.

It's not just an impact.

To be precise, Zack's pride and confidence, faith and hope were all thrown into a shredder, crushed back and forth, leaving not a single residue.

One hundred points, one hundred points, one hundred points, don't these film critics have other words or other opinions in their minds?

Did Charlie Kaufman, like in the movie "Being John Malkovich", climb into the heads of film critics and manipulate them to give a consistent score?

Of course, things are not like that.

Outside of the perfect scores, other scores still exist, otherwise the media comprehensive score of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" should be one hundred points, not ninety-five points.

In fact, not only was "The Baltimore Sun" out of step, but some film critics also did not like this work. In addition to "The Baltimore Sun", the lowest score of the first batch of media comprehensive reviews of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" was seventy-five points.

From "LA Weekly".

"Oh, dear, this is truly an imaginative story, fun and full of ups and downs; so much so that I began to constantly question myself, why can't this movie be better? Why is my heart as still as water, without any waves? The biggest problem with the whole movie lies in its hero:

Anson Wood.

Sorry, I really can't be convinced that a man like Anson would be tormented by his insecurities and fragility to the point of completely losing himself in a relationship, even if his co-star is Kate Winslet."

An alternative view, but... unexpectedly resonated with many.

Of course, in real life, people also know that a handsome appearance is not everything; but people often easily have such a habitual prejudice that as long as they look good, they can enjoy some invisible benefits, and those handsome men and beautiful women are always smooth sailing and carefree in the world of love—

This is not the truth, think about it calmly and you will know.

However, stereotypes are always there.

So, when watching "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", it is understandable that a small number of viewers cannot fully immerse themselves in the story.

To some extent, Anson's "vase" image became a stumbling block.

Moreover, this is not the only one.

Although the views are different and the perspectives are different, "The Chicago Tribune" also gave seventy-five points.

"Please don't misunderstand, I like this movie. Anson Wood delivers an excellent performance. In his performance, you can see a hint of self-deprecating humor, seamlessly integrated into the character and the story. This is not seen in his previous roles, which proves that he can become an excellent actor.

However, thinking about it calmly, the essence of this character is no different from the characters of John Cusack in 'Being John Malkovich' and Nicolas Cage in 'Adaptation', immersed in a world of self-pity and unable to extricate themselves. Charlie Kaufman still hasn't been able to get rid of his own rut."

To the point!

From the perspective of themes, types, stories, etc., Charlie Kaufman's current three works are completely different styles, and the way of opening up the mind brings surprises again and again; but peeling off those fancy shells to see the core can reveal that Charlie Kaufman's self is wrapped in it.

He has not been able to get rid of himself for the time being.

This is also the constraint faced by every artistic creator: creation often originates from oneself; but if one constantly repeats oneself, one will fall into a rut, so when creation reaches a stage, one needs to start learning to break oneself and transcend oneself.

This is a difficult problem, and countless artistic creators are trapped in their own shadows throughout their lives.

From this perspective, it is precisely because "Being John Malkovich" and "Adaptation" are so excellent that film critics have higher expectations for Charlie Kaufman.

This is a different standard—

If it were just an ordinary screenwriter, film critics would have collectively knelt down and worshiped, marveling at the screenwriter's flash of inspiration; but this is Charlie Kaufman, and while amazing, people expect more.

Rather than criticism, it is more like advice and expectations.

In the noisy and bustling voices, the one-sentence review from "Rolling Stone" magazine is undoubtedly the most appropriate summary:

The review stated that almost every era will produce its own best love movie, because the views on love, worldview, and values of different eras change, and people's attitudes towards love change quietly. The biggest difference between love movies and genres such as action, disaster, science fiction, and comedy lies in:

Audiences can see the imprint of the times and the changes in culture in these works.

Perhaps, after time has passed and things have changed, the new generation of young people may not be able to understand the ideas conveyed by those works; but this is undoubtedly a review of different eras and different cultures.

And "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is a presentation of the younger generation's thinking about love amidst the social changes and turmoil since the millennium, which is the most successful part of the film.

"Best of the year!"

"Rolling Stone said" that "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" has made the voice of the times.

And, ninety-five points!